


A Season in the Underworld

by Wasuremono



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound
Genre: Adventure, Community: journeystory, Developing Relationship, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-11
Updated: 2012-01-11
Packaged: 2017-10-29 08:50:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/317994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wasuremono/pseuds/Wasuremono
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The summer before college, Tony convinces Jeff to join him in a research trip to the Lost Underworld -- a trip led by Jeff's mother, an acclaimed field biologist whom he hasn't seen in over a decade. Jeff's had a hard time figuring out his feelings for Tony anyway, and the mother he barely knows taking an interest in his life doesn't help. Throw in the fact that they're all in the middle of nowhere surrounded by dinosaurs, and, well, it's going to be an interesting summer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Move-Out Day

**Author's Note:**

> This story was bumping around my mind for years, but the Journeystory challenge finally gave me a good excuse to write it. Thanks to nickygabriel (the mod), Sparrow (my artist), and everyone else who assisted me in this frankly ridiculous endeavor.

Jeff Andonuts's mother walked back into his life on his last day in the Snow Wood dorms. He caught his first glimpse of her in the hallway as he surveyed his half-empty room, and it was only enough to make some long-buried part of his brain twinge: a flash of dark hair, the weathered strap of a leather satchel. By the time he finally processed it, she was standing in the doorway, a childhood ghost with a plastic bucket and a grin.

"Jeff! Oh, you look wonderful! You've gotten so tall." She stepped inside and set the bucket down before he could even manage a reply. "It's so good to see you again, sweetheart."

"Uh..." Where in the world did he begin? He took a moment just to look at her: a short, stocky woman (so much smaller than in his memories), her hair an even mixture of black and grey, her eyes hazel and focused. It had been thirteen years since he'd seen her last, and it was hard to objectively compare the presence he remembered as "Mother" to the woman in front of him, but Jeff knew they were the same. He was utterly disarmed. "It's good to see you too, Mom," he finished, feeling as if he ought to have something more profound to say but entirely unable to find the words. "How did you -- er, did Dad give you the end-of-year schedule?" His parents did still talk to each other, didn't they?

"I got the message from him a few weeks ago," she replied. "I've been meaning to call you and let you know I'd be here, but, well, I'm sure you can imagine how hard it can be to find a working phone when you're in the field." She surveyed the room thoughtfully, and Jeff winced, even more acutely aware what an absolute mess it was. They'd been working for days to get things packed and moved away, but there was still stuff everywhere, the strange detritus accumulated over his and Tony's five years in the room -- long-lost books, old clothes from the back of the closet, equipment from forgotten experiments... Jeff had a suspicion that a lot of it was going to be "packed" in garbage bags and sorted through sometime during the summer, because there was no way he'd manage it now. Somehow, improbably enough, his mother was looking the mess over and smiling. "You seem to have things well in hand, though! Your father mentioned that you two had friends to help you -- I imagine that's a relief."

"Yeah, they're great," Jeff answered, entirely truthfully. There were a lot of advantages to knowing psychics, and one of them was having people who could teleport your junk straight from old room to new storage unit. "So, um, how was the trip?" It was a fairly weak segue, but it wasn't as if his mother cared about that. She just grinned wider.

"Oh, pleasant enough. It wasn't easy to get transportation offsite, but believe me, it's worth it to be here. We ought to get a submarine on retainer for the summer, though, if only for the sake of the undergraduates. Which reminds me. Is Tony in at the moment?" Huh, so she remembered Tony from Jeff's letters? He frankly hadn't expected that.

"He's making a storage run," said Jeff, "but he should be back soon. I can introduce you two then." As he spoke, there were footsteps from down the hall, and he was grateful for his timing. Introducing Tony to his mother would buy him more time to figure out just what to talk to her about. "Tony," he called, "that you?"

"Yep!" Tony stepped into the doorway, slightly disheveled-looking (as Jeff was sure he was himself, come to think of it) but cheerful. "Ness says he needs a break, but Poo's going to be back in a little whi..." He trailed off as he seemed to register the presence of Jeff's mother. "Professor Duncan? Wow, it's great to meet you at last!"

What?

"I, uh," Jeff managed to stammer, trying desperately to put his thoughts together. "Tony, this is my mother."

"Oh, yeah, I know," Tony replied chirpily. "I didn't tell you, did I? Professor Duncan's from Fourside Polytech, and she's leading the research team I'm working on this summer. She called me yesterday to let me know she'd be in town today to see us." Tony seemed guileless, but Jeff was starting to sense that he'd just sprung a very patiently-laid trap. It was Tony who'd convinced him that Four Poly was the right school for them, and surely he'd done some research while he'd been writing his application for pre-freshman research projects. Maybe he hadn't known then that one of the project leaders was Jeff's mother, but he probably figured it out soon enough. Tony was always the planning type, and this smelled like a scheme. "I was going to tell you about this earlier," continued Tony, "but I never found the time, and now that we're all here, I thought I'd... Jeff, are you okay? You look kind of off."

"I'm kind of tired," Jeff admitted, and it was mostly true; packing was draining work, and repeated teleportation trips had never quite agreed with him. It would be enough of an excuse to keep Tony from startling into apologies. "I just... Tony, why didn't you tell me about Mom earlier? This doesn't seem like the kind of thing to just slip your mind. Did you two, I dunno, plan something?" He glanced back to his mother, hoping his confusion hid his disappointment. She'd made arrangements to meet her new research assistant, but she hadn't even bothered to tell her son she'd be helping him move out? He probably should have expected as much, but a part of him had always hoped that, when his mother found him again, she wouldn't turn out to be just another Andonuts.

Almost to his surprise, his mother's expression seemed genuinely remorseful. "Jeff, I didn't realize Tony was your roommate until we spoke yesterday. Before that, we'd only exchanged a few letters, and those were focused on the research." A few letters in the three months since Tony'd received the assistantship was more than Jeff averaged, but he let that go as she continued. "Once we sorted things out, he wanted us to make this offer to you together." Wait, offer? "I'm sure Tony's told you that we're going to the Lost Underworld, and we'd like you to join us. Tony tells me you have some experience with the region, and I think we'd both enjoy your company. What do you say?" Mom managed to make the invitation seem almost casual, but Jeff couldn't help but notice Tony watching him with wide eyes and an almost desperate expression, waiting for an answer. Jeff cleared his throat, trying to formulate a response.

"I... it's an interesting offer. It's really interesting. I didn't have anything lined up for the summer or anything." He paused, trying to figure out a way to say politely that he still felt like he'd been set up, that the whole thing felt strange. "Can you give me some time to think about it? I need to sort some things out. Um, you know, mentally."

"Oh, sure," replied Tony, just a little too quickly. "Take your time. It's okay. Maybe we should take a break? You look tired, and I know I could use some time to just sit."

"That's not a bad plan at all. I think I could use some fresh air, actually -- all the dust isn't helping my brain. I'll be outside if you need me, okay?" Jeff decided not to give either of them time to object, and he made his way out of the room and down the stairs. The dormitory foyer was crowded with departing students and their parents hauling luggage of all kinds, and Jeff had to weave his way slowly and carefully (and apologetically) through the horde to the door. Outside, the driveway and parking lot were crowded with vehicles of all sorts being loaded; thankfully, the lawn and woods seemed clear enough of people that Jeff decided a walk was in order. The forest around Winters always helped him focus, and right now he needed clarity of mind.

He was about three steps into the woods when a popping sound in the air behind him told him that he had company. He turned around, not surprised to find Poo standing there; Jeff had never understood how psychics could target themselves so precisely, but he'd certainly gotten used to it. "Hey," he said to his arriving friend, and Poo nodded in reply.

"Jeff. How are you?"

"It's sort of complicated," Jeff admitted. "Actually, uh, I could use some advice, I guess. Do you mind if I talk this through with you?"

"Of course not. What is it?" Poo took a seat on the soil, apparently heedless to the damp that plagued Winters even in the summer, and Jeff followed his lead. His pants could be laundered, after all. "I wondered if something was wrong," Poo continued. "You seem rather dispirited."

"I guess that's a good way of putting it. It's hard to explain, but it has to do with my mom and Tony. Mom just showed up at the room, and... she apparently called Tony to let him know she was coming, but she didn't bother to let me know. It turns out he's working for her for the summer, and they want me to come along. I guess it's nice that they thought of me at all, but, I don't know, it would have been nice to be thought of a little earlier in this process."

Poo nodded faintly. "It sounds like it was a surprise, and not entirely a pleasant one. I take it you see your mother rarely?"

"Very rarely. This is the first time since I was a little kid. She writes to me a few times a year, but we're not close."

"Do you want to be?" asked Poo, his tone careful and a bit gentle. His expression was serious and just a touch protective; Jeff couldn't speak from experience about having a big brother, but Poo had taken on that sort of role in his life within hours of that first meeting. This conversation was proving to be no exception.

"Of course I do. It's my mom, you know? It's, well, it's just like Dad again, except this time I can't run back to school if things get weird. What if we don't get along? What if..." Jeff tried to assemble his thoughts into words, but it wasn't easy, and he let the silence sit for a moment or two.

At last, Poo completed Jeff's sentence. "What if she treats Tony like a son and you like a hired hand, you mean?"

"Yeah," said Jeff, his relief more audible than he'd meant it to be. "Yeah, like that. Maybe -- I guess, maybe, I think I should just leave them to it and do my own thing for the summer."

"Mm. I could give you any number of truisms about facing fear, Jeff, but think of it this way. You and Tony will be attending the same university in the fall, correct? And living together, no doubt."

"That's right. I mean, um, if you're saying what you're going to say, I can probably still change roommates --"

"He's your best friend," replied Poo. "A better friend than any of us are to you, in fact, although I hardly begrudge you that. Even if you moved, he'd be in your life, and your mother is your blood, no matter how much time and distance have stood between you. I understand that you're afraid, but I think spending a summer with them is a risk you need to take. Otherwise, I fear, they may drift away from you."

Jeff sighed, one hand unconsciously digging into the soil next to him. "You're right. I think I knew you were right before I even asked. I just needed to ask someone else, you know? I'm scared, but... I can't leave them hanging. She's my mom, and he's Tony."

The silence returned for a moment, and when Poo spoke again, his voice was more tentative than Jeff was used to. "May I ask a personal question, Jeff?"

"Of course you can."

"Does he know you love him?"

There it was, the elephant in the room, the problem which days and nights of thought had yet to untangle. Jeff had felt the first stirrings of non-platonic affection for Tony years ago, but to say he was ambivalent about the situation was to imply he'd only considered two options instead of the wide array of terrifying possibilities he could see for the future. "I, uh, no," he admitted to Poo. "I mean, I hope he's caught on by now, but... look, I was going to figure this out over the summer. It was kind of going to be my project."

"Who says it can't be? Can you not think in his presence?"

"Oh, now you're just taunting me."

"Apologies," said Poo, his tone sincere. Well, mostly sincere -- there was the tiny edge of a smile on his face now. "Think about it this way: a change of scenery is good for the mind, and I think we both know how much adventure can focus one's thoughts. Why not relax, enjoy the experience, and consider the question as the summer unfolds?"

Jeff had to admit that his old friend had a point there. Even through the haze of pain, fear, and adolescence, his mind had never been clearer than it had while he was fighting Giygas, and maybe a return to the Lost Underworld could return him to that kind of clarity. Besides... it would be fun, wouldn't it? School life was pleasant, but it had been too long since he'd had a real adventure. No matter how badly things went with Mom and Tony, just going back to the wilderness would be fun. He could use some fun.

"Okay," said Jeff, "you've officially sold me. Thanks, Poo -- sorry to vent at you, but I needed to talk to someone."

"A pleasure as always, and I hope for the best for you this summer."

"This makes two of us," replied Jeff, hand unclenching. "Seriously, thanks. Uh, not to change the subject or anything, but could we run another load of stuff to Fourside? I think we've only got a few left, but we need to be out in three hours, so... yeah."

"I had figured you would ask. Shall we?" Poo stood, and Jeff followed him, quietly very grateful indeed. It was all well and good to claim that his friend was just a sounding board for his own thinking out loud, but Poo's perspective was more valuable than he knew how to express. Sometimes Jeff wondered where he'd be without his three foreign friends, but he knew he was richer for their presence in his life, even when it came to little things. After all, without them, he'd hardly be qualified as some sort of expert Lost Underworld consultant, would he?

It was nice to have plans for the summer, Jeff realized. He'd never quite figured out what he wanted to do before heading off to college, but a research project would give him a running start, and maybe he could work out things with Tony while they were there. It had the potential to be miserable, but it also had the potential to be brilliant, and Jeff could use more gambles in his life.

Yes, this was going to be an interesting summer.


	2. The Descent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeff and Tony make their way to the Lost Underworld.

Chapter 1: The Descent

\--

Two hours into the trip across the Scaraban desert, Jeff realized he should have bought more water.

He finished the last swallow from his next-to-last bottle and tucked the empty back in his bag before wiping the sweat from his brow. He'd remembered about the desert heat, of course, but time had taken the edge off just how bad it was. Even in the Jeep, with the rush of wind to keep the air fresh, the atmosphere was nauseating. At least he'd remembered his sunscreen; Jeff didn't even want to think about the sunburns that could come from this weather.

In the seat next to him, Tony looked positively unflappable by comparison: glowing as much with excitement as with sweat, the hair protruding from his bucket hat looking dashingly windswept. As Jeff took him in, heat-dulled mind only slowly recognizing that he was staring, Tony turned to look back. "Are you okay, Jeff? You look terrible!"

"I've been better," Jeff replied, giving in and reaching into his bag for the last water bottle. "Heat just really gets to me, that's all, and I don't think I packed enough water. I'm out after this one." As if to punctuate that thought, the thirst hit again, and he uncapped the water bottle and chugged. God, he was parched!

"I've still got a couple of bottles if you run out, but I think we're getting close to the pier anyway." Tony raised his voice further to compensate for the engine noise. "DR. DUNCAN! How much longer is it?"

"ABOUT FORTY MILES!" hollered Jeff's mother from the driver's seat; she didn't look back at them, and Jeff was grateful for that, since even the short time he'd been her passenger had convinced him that she wasn't the most attentive driver. (Jeff supposed he got it from her, then.)  
"An hour at the most! Are you two all right back there?"

"We're fine!" called Jeff before Tony could contradict him. "... Seriously, Tony, I'll be okay. I'm not going to evaporate. Besides," he said, seizing on a line that might calm his friend's nerves, "I've got this hat to keep me cool." He touched the rim of his own bucket hat, identical to Tony's save for the embroidered name on the brim. "They really were a good idea."

"Weren't they? And here you were skeptical." Tony beamed. "I know they're a little dorky, especially with the embroidery, but they really do work."

"And so does the embroidery. After all," Jeff said, faux-scowling, "we don't want to get our hats mixed up and end up with --" Jeff hesitated, but Tony was already grinning and waiting for him to go on.

"HEEEEAD LIIIIIICE!" the two boys cried in unison, breaking off only when Tony started laughing and Jeff joined him. He couldn't even think the words "head lice" anymore without thinking of poor Mr. Vandervliet, their old primary-school housemaster, and his sing-song pronunciation; imitating him was one of their oldest inside jokes, and yet it still managed to break him up. It was strange what stuck in the memory, wasn't it?

Jeff knew already that memories were going to be one of the recurring themes of this trip. Even crossing the desert was starting to bring them out; four years ago, he and his friends had crossed the desert on foot, and now Jeff frankly wasn't sure how. Had it been some driving purpose keeping them going, or just the resilience of the young? It was harder than it should have been to keep himself from becoming nostalgic. Still... he'd done one amazing thing, and that meant he could do others. This summer was going to be one of them.

A nudge on his shoulder derailed Jeff's train of thought. "Hey," said Tony, "you're kind of thousand-mile staring there. What's on your mind?"

"Oh, you know... stuff. The desert, a little bit."

"Yeah? What about it?"

Jeff shrugged. "Just the last time I was here. I have to say, it's a lot nicer without the aliens."

"I bet it is," replied Tony. "You know, you never really told me about that part of it. What was it like? All that fighting..."

"Strange, mostly. Like -- it's hard to describe now, but if I had to start somewhere, I guess I'd start talking about how cool they were. I know that sounds strange, but... well, you saw those Starmen, right? They were all like that. These robots and spaceships and stuff, and they were all really neat, except for the part where they were firing on us..."

Jeff decided to let himself ramble, content to embrace the nostalgia that the desert was bringing out in him. After all, it was a welcome distraction from the heat, and they still had an hour to kill.

* * *

The passenger submarine turned out to embody the old joke about the whistling dog: it wasn't done well, but it was amazing that it was done at all. The little cabin fit eight rather snugly, the metal bench seating wasn't anything even close to comfortable, and even the portholes offered no view beyond the murky purple water of the underground river, but it was still far from the worst ride in Jeff's life. The fact that he'd ended up next to Tony certainly didn't hurt, of course; it was strange, after the suffocating heat of the desert, just how pleasant the warmth of Tony's leg against his was.

Tony, for his part, seemed mesmerized from the view from the porthole nearest them. "It's just unreal, isn't it? You've got this underground cavern system, this _marshy_ underground cavern system, and it turns out the river that feeds it cuts down through the strata from the desert... just amazing. I know this is old hat for you, Jeff, but..."

"I don't think you can call it old hat for anyone," Jeff replied, turning his head to take in the view with Tony. "We weren't down there long, and we weren't exactly taking notes. I think the only people really used to Deep Darkness are the Tenda." He paused. "If you ask me, they're welcome to it. It smells... foul. Beyond foul."

"Well, it's a swamp. That just follows, doesn't it?"

"Worse than that. I -- I can't really describe it, even. It smells so bad that it actually hurts to breathe down there. And now you're going to think I'm crazy if I say I'm looking forward to seeing it again, aren't you?"

"Why would I think that?" said Tony. "I think I'd be worried if you weren't. There's so much to see it's almost overwhelming, and that's just the trip down to the Lost Underworld in the first place. Once we actually get there, I don't even know what I'm going to do."

"It's mostly just observation, isn't it? It shouldn't be a big deal, as far as I know. Did Mom give you any details?"

"Not enough. A little, but she's kind of a fast talker, isn't she?"

"You'd know as well as I would."

Tony winced a bit, and Jeff winced inwardly; for all that it was his honest first reaction, it probably wasn't a kind thing to remind him about. "Okay," said Tony, "point taken. I hope she's going to brief us a little better once we get there, though. I've been reading all the papers I can find on the Underworld, and I still barely even know if it's really going to be safe."

"Tony," said Jeff, "I promise it'll be safe. Human-sized stuff barely registers to these guys most of the time, so if we stay out of the way, we'll be fine. Besides..." He patted the holster on his hip, the weight of his new tranquilizer gun there already comfortable. "If something does go wrong, I can handle it. That's why I'm here, right?"

"Well, not exactly, but it's good to know. Thanks, Jeff; you know how I can be." Tony's smile was completely guileless, and Jeff had the sudden urge to wrap an arm around him and pull him closer. The fact that they were surrounded by strangers helped curb it, thankfully, as did the fact that Tony couldn't actually get much closer to him short of sitting on his lap. (Not that that was a bad idea, but, well, that got back to the "surrounded by strangers" problem.)

"It's okay," Jeff replied. "Just relax, all right? We're going to have a great summer." It was almost comforting that Tony needed some reassurance, too. He'd never wish unhappiness on Tony, but this way the planning imbalance didn't seem quite so sharp as it had when this all began. They were fellow travelers, and they both had their misgivings about this trip. That was better, wasn't it?

Jeff thought so, but he wasn't sure. Surrounded by murky water and strangers, so close to Tony and yet so far from knowing what to say to him, he had a hard time maintaining the confidence he'd had in the desert. Even so, it wasn't as if he could turn back now; if the submarine journey was good for nothing else, it certainly punctuated that.

Next to him, Tony had fallen silent, staring out the porthole again. Jeff closed his eyes, leaned back against the metal wall, and surrendered to the descent.

* * *

By the time they arrived at the Tenda village, Jeff was feeling something beyond haggard. The trip had taken most of the day, and the last stretch of boating through the Deep Darkness had taken its toll. (At least they'd used rowboats and not anything powered; Jeff could only imagine what kind of stench an outboard engine could make when it agitated the marshy water.) The little crowd of students and researchers standing around him seemed to share his fatigue, and while some of them looked a little unnerved at the ring of curious Tenda surrounding them, Jeff imagined the prospect of a decent night's rest would win out in the end.

Jeff's mother looked fairly tired herself, but Jeff noted that she was still smiling; maybe she was just used to this trip by now. She cleared her throat, then spoke in a raised voice to address the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Deep Darkness. I know it's been a long day for all of us, but the Tenda chieftain has been kind enough to offer his hospitality, so we'll be stopping here for the night. Tomorrow we'll descend into Lumine Hall, and we should be at our campsite in the Lost Underworld by midday. Does anyone have any questions about the itinerary?" A chorus of noncommittal sounds answered her, and Jeff offered a shrug of his own; everything seemed cut and dried. What was there to ask about?

"Good," Mom continued. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'd like to make a few introductions. I'm honored to welcome a pair of expert consultants on dinosaur behavior to our group -- Happai, a native Underworlder and dinosaur herder, and her companion Shahnchen. Happai?"

Two figures emerged from the ring of Tenda and stepped towards Jeff's mother. Like all Tenda, they looked very much alike to Jeff, but he still recognized the one in front immediately: the first Tenda he'd ever spoken more than a sentence to, the only one in Deep Darkness not afflicted with crippling shyness. He looked more amused than anything, while behind him, the second Tenda took in the humans with a squint and a cautious expression. Even if he hadn't recognized one, Jeff thought it wouldn't be hard to figure out which Tenda had experience around dinosaurs. You didn't have to be in the Lost Underworld long to learn fear.

"Nice to meet ya!" said the Tenda in front, offering his species's equivalent of a smile. "I'm Shahnchen, and this is Happai behind me. She's not a big talker, but she's your dino maven! I'm just along for the ride."

"We're glad to have you both," Mom answered. "I'd also like to introduce another expert consultant -- my son, Jeffrey Andonuts." She gestured towards Jeff in the crowd, and a murmur went up; a few of his fellow travelers had already recognized him, but the ones who hadn't were quick to catch on that one of the Chosen Children was among them. Jeff's shoulders slumped. Couldn't Mom have _told_ him he was going to be ambushed like this?

"Um, Jeff is fine. I'm, uh... I'm just along for the ride too." Jeff chuckled nervously, but thankfully the crowd -- and his mother -- seemed placated by that. "It's a real honor to be here."

"And it's an honor to have you here, Jeff," said his mother. "That's all for now, everyone; go get some rest. The Tenda will show you to the guest quarters." With that, she was off, presumably on the way to her own quarters. The Tenda chieftain gestured broadly to the assembly, and an assortment of Tenda stepped out of the crowd to begin leading the beleaguered human party to their rooms. The Tenda who found him didn't display any signs of recognizing him, and Jeff was actually a little grateful for that; he was much less in the mood for a hero's welcome than he was in the mood to sleep. Behind him, Tony tagged along wordlessly, and they walked across the village in silence. (While the Tenda of the Deep Darkness may have been cured of their pathological shyness, they evidently weren't much for conversation anyway.)

As Jeff had expected, their "quarters" turned out to be a small cave, the floor covered with blankets and mattresses. "Is this really it?" said Tony, sitting down in the middle of the cave as if he expected a snake to pop out.

"It's better than it looks," replied Jeff, taking off his backpack and his bucket hat. "The last time I was here, I didn't have the slightest problem falling asleep."

"Jeff, you could fall asleep on a rock, and from the looks of it, you probably did."

"I promise! Um..." Jeff looked down at the floor of the cave, realizing a fact he probably should have realized earlier: their luggage was in storage, and while he had a change of clothes in his backpack, he hadn't bothered with pajamas. "... Do you mind if I sleep in my underwear? I didn't bring anything to sleep in."

"Uh, sure," said Tony. "I'll probably sleep in my clothes, personally, but yeah, that's okay..."

On second thought, Jeff was pretty sure that was the best idea. There was no need to make this any weirder than it already was. "Well, in that case, I'll do that too." He knelt down to take off his shoes, then laid down and pulled a blanket over himself; the layer of bedding underneath him was rather irregular, and one of his feet rested on cold stone, but somehow it was still comfortable. Already his limbs were getting heavy, and it was time to give into the fatigue.

Jeff took off his glasses and rested them outside of the bedding-pile, then glanced to the side, where the blurry shape of Tony had tucked himself in. "Night, Tony." There was no answer; silence reigned for a moment, and then a snore announced that Tony had found the bedding quite comfortable indeed.

Jeff smiled, closed his eyes, and followed his friend into sleep.

* * *

Lumine Hall was rather less illuminated than Jeff remembered. The hall itself and its great wall of lights had been the part of the Sanctuary that had lingered in his memory, but he'd largely forgotten the maze of dank little passages leading to it, all bare brown stone only rarely enlivened by patches of moss. Without the monsters as a distraction, it was frankly rather twisty and dull, and Jeff felt self-conscious at the head of the expedition. After yesterday's travails, most of his fellow travelers were more than ready to just settle down, and he couldn't blame them if the winding through the tunnels was starting to feel like a wild goose chase.

Thankfully, though, the end was in sight: the entry tunnel to the Sanctuary proper. "Just a little more, folks! Follow me!"" Jeff called back to the group before easing himself through the hole -- a tighter fit than it had been when he was a kid, but not dangerously so. After a few moments of wriggling, he set his feet down on the solid, dark stone of the main chamber of Lumine Hall. It took a moment to adjust to the shadows, but the twinklings out of the corner of his eye reminded him he wasn't in any ordinary cave. He turned to face Lumine Hall's wall of lights, tiny spots of brilliant green in the darkness; without a psychic nearby, they cascaded randomly and erratically, but the display was beautiful nonetheless. Jeff had never expected to see it again, and he lost himself in this new opportunity to take it in.

"Wow, it's gorgeous!"

The voice from behind him startled Jeff out of his half-trance, even as he recognized it as Tony's almost immediately. "Oh, hey! Um... yeah. It's unreal, isn't it? Sorry, I kind of got caught up in it."

"I can't blame you," replied Tony, beginning to stare himself. "It reminds me of a meteor shower we had when I was really young. My parents took us up to the roof to watch the stars, and we spent all nights just watching those little points of light fall from the sky. It was mesmerizing." He smiled faintly, and in the reflected light of Lumine Hall, his face almost seemed to shine. "This makes me feel the same way. I wish we could stay longer."

"I'm with you there, but we're too close to the Underworld to dawdle now. Besides, I think some of the others are getting impatient." Jeff glanced back at the cavern, where most of the research team was gathered and awaiting the passage of the last few through the tunnel. His mother was already through, deep in conversation with one of others -- a post-doc, Jeff thought, although he wasn't sure. Even while she talked, though, her eyes kept flickering to the lighted wall, and Jeff felt a bit vindicated. Travel burnout was taking its toll, but this wasn't a sight you could get jaded about seeing.

At last, with the arrival of the last of the party, Jeff's mom raised her voice again. "That's everyone! Let's get on our way. If any of you would like to see Lumine Hall at greater length, we'll organize outings later, but for now we need to make camp. This way..."

She set off towards the last tunnel of their long journey, and Jeff broke into a jog to catch up with her. Tony was never more than a step behind, and soon he was walking in step with Jeff. Jeff hadn't really thought about it, but it seemed right. They were on this journey together, after all, and he'd be glad to be by Tony's side as his friend got his first glimpse of the Lost Underworld.

The tunnel grew gradually broader and better-lit, and finally, it opened up upon the Lost Underworld: a wall of foggy jungle, hazy light filtering through the canopy, with the vague shapes of cliffs visible in the distance. There was a distant gurgle of a natural hot spring, and somewhere further off, something roared. It was only a sliver of the much larger whole, but it was still enough to make Jeff's breath catch; next to him, Tony stared, then reached for Jeff's hand. He took it.

"Here we are," Jeff said at last, throat suddenly dry. "The beginning of the big adventure."

"Yeah," said Tony. "... Let's see what's out there."

They walked on, into the heat of the Underworld and into their summer. After its long prelude, it had begun at last.


	3. Subterranean Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day in the Underworld is more than a little awkward.

"Hey! Hey, Jeff, wake up. Breakfast's almost ready."

The word "breakfast" woke Jeff more quickly than an alarm clock would have. Memories of Snow Wood cafeteria waffles danced in his sleepy brain, and it took him a moment to realize he wasn't back in his old dorm room. The first cue was the sleeping bag, followed closely by the translucent green "roof" of the tent above him. Oh, right... camping. Lost Underworld. Waffles were right out.

Jeff sat up, grabbing his glasses from the tent's storage pocket and slipping them on to find Tony watching him. "Sorry to wake you," Tony said, "but Dr. Duncan's making pancakes, and I figured you'd be hungry. I'll be right outside when you're done getting dressed."

"Thanks," replied Jeff, letting his friend make his way out before heading towards his duffel bag. The two-person tent was just a touch too small for two people to coexist comfortably when not sleeping or huddled close, and he was fairly sure that undressing in front of Tony wasn't a great idea right now anyway. (There were limits he wasn't sure he wanted to test somewhere where they couldn't easily get away from one another.) Jeff shucked off his pajamas and threw on proper clothes and shoes before running a brush through his hair, which he figured made him presentable enough for breakfast. He unzipped the tent flap and stepped outside, where Tony was waiting. "You ready?"

"As I'm going to be."

It was morning in the Lost Underworld, at least by the crude reckoning of the research party. The underground jungle never precisely got dark, illuminated as it was by the residual energy of Lumine Hall above it, but they'd agreed upon making camp yesterday to think of their first sleeping period as "night" and advance the clock from there. There was a cool, clinging mist in the air that created a convincing illusion of morning, though, and the smell coming from the cookfire in the center of their ring of tents certainly didn't hurt. Perhaps half of the research team was up and clustered around the fire, and he hoped there was still some breakfast to go around.

Jeff followed Tony towards the cookfire, completely unsurprised as he got closer and found his mother holding court with a skillet. Somehow she managed to stay chatty even while flipping and serving up pancakes -- not the best pancakes Jeff had ever seen, but edible-looking. There was a pile of tin plates by the end of the queue, and Jeff grabbed one and passed another to Tony before taking his place obediently in queue. A few ravenous grad students later, his mother finally offered him a small stack of pancakes and a smile. "Morning, Jeff, Tony. How'd you sleep?"

"Okay," Jeff replied. "I probably should have brought an air mattress, but I'll live. Were you all right, Tony?"

"Mmhmm. I think we picked a decent place this time -- a lot better than the last time we went camping, huh?" Tony grinned at him, but Jeff caught the flicker of confusion in his mother's face, and he hastened to explain.

"Sorry, it's kind of a long story. Years ago, we had a dorm hiking-camping trip out into the woods, and somehow we didn't think to clear the ground before we set up our tent. There were rocks everywhere, pinecones, a branch or two... somehow we managed to dodge an ant's nest, but that was about the only way it could have been worse. I don't think either of us managed any sleep that trip."

Mom frowned at that, in what Jeff suspected was an actual serious expression from her. "That does sound like trouble. How old were you boys?"

"Ten or eleven?"

"And you didn't have anyone older to look after you?"

"We had our prefect Maxwell," said Tony with a shrug. "I think Mr. Caldwell was leading us, but in practice it was mostly Maxwell, and... well, like Jeff said, it's a long story."

"Well, all right. That's not a very comforting story, but I'll trust you've learned since then. Not to change the subject, but to change the subject -- Jeff, will you come with me after you've had breakfast and cleaned up? I'd like your help getting our main viewing platform set up on the bluff."

"I can do that, sure," said Jeff. "See you in a bit, okay?" He headed away from the cookfire, thankful that Tony was following him without being asked. Once they'd gotten far enough away that he figured he could talk without being overheard, he plunked down on the ground. "Was it just me, or was that a little weird?"

"No, it wasn't just you." Tony sat across from him, setting down his plate on pancakes next to him and looking at Jeff with an expression of legitimate confusion. "She kind of freaked out about the camping story, didn't she? I'm sorry I brought it up, but I just thought it was funny. I didn't mean to get Dr. D upset."

"It's not your fault, Tony. I thought it was funny too, and... well, I don't know what happened in her head back there." Jeff shook his head. "It feels really weird if I think about it too much. I'm pretty sure she gave birth to me, but I really don't know her at all."

"... 'pretty sure?' She's your mom!"

"Yeah, but... you know. My dad was involved and all, and... yeah."

"Oh," said Tony, and Jeff was grateful not to have to elaborate. "Well, you're spending the morning with her, sounds like. Maybe you two can talk a little bit while you work? If nothing else, you can make sure she's not angry."

"I'll try." Jeff was hesitant to promise anything, but Tony was right -- maybe he'd actually be able to have a decent conversation with her. He thought about it as he finally took his first bite of breakfast. The pancakes were chewy and lukewarm, but they still tasted decent enough, and he knew the blood sugar would help him think clearly. Jeff had a feeling he'd need that clarity if he intended to get any answers out of his mother.

* * *

"So, Mom... what exactly do you do at Four Poly?"

"Oh, this and that," answered Dr. Duncan, looking up from her work on setting up the viewing platform. "I'm officially the Someone or Other Professor of Animal Behavior. It's mostly a research position, but there's a quota of teaching -- all very academic, and I'm sure you're not interested in the gory details. Pass me the flathead screwdriver, please?"

Jeff managed to refrain from pointing out that, if he wasn't interested, he wouldn't have asked in the first place. He passed his mother the screwdriver, then watched her affix the leg of the platform in silence for a moment while he formulated his next question. "With you and Dad...well, how did you end up in Fourside? Was he okay with it?"

"He was almost more excited than I was, although I suppose that's because he wasn't paranoid about getting tenure. In fact, he spent a few months there with me while I was getting my feet under me. I remember that he always had dinner ready when I got home -- not that your father's much of a cook, but it was edible and prompt, and that was the important part."

"Wait," said Jeff. "He was only there with you for a few months?"

"It was quite generous under the circumstances, and he had work waiting in Winters for his return. Besides, by that time I was waist-deep in my first semester teaching and I had rather enough on my plate."

"But..."

"But?"

Jeff looked at his mother's face, cheerful and completely uncomprehending, and decided it wasn't worthwhile to ask any more questions, no matter how little he understood. If his parents spent so little time together, why in the world had they gotten married? To take things to their nadir of distaste, how in the world had he even been conceived? Maybe he wasn't understanding properly, and it could all be sorted out. "Sorry, I'm just trying to mentally establish a timeline. When did this all happen?"

"Oh, it was over twenty years ago -- twenty-two, if I remember correctly. It was only seven months after the wedding that I got the job offer from Fourside. The timing was poor, but my grant money to stay in Winters had run out anyway, and it was an exciting position... ah, here we are. I believe this is secure, but double-check my work, please?"

With a small mental note of resignation, Jeff crossed to the other side of the outcropping to have a look at his mother's work. Indeed, everything looked perfectly secure; the platform stood flat and stable on its four squat legs, providing a level surface on which the researchers could observe the dinosaurs below and mount cameras to record. Their work for the morning was done, even if he hadn't quite wanted the conversation to be.

"Looks great, Mom," said Jeff. "Anything else we need to do up here?"

"Not for now, I think. We've both got observation shifts coming up this afternoon, so we'd be best served preparing ourselves and the equipment at camp. Is your toolbox packed?"

Jeff nodded and returned to his work area, hefting it as if to demonstrate this fact. "Yeah, let's go."

"Let's." Mom started down the trail towards the campsite, and Jeff fell into lockstep behind her. The silence fell almost immediately, and for all of Jeff's discomfort, he couldn't think of a decent way to start talking again. Part of him wanted to ask more about the regret she'd alluded to -- the loss of grant money that had presumably forced her to leave Winters -- but would that be too much? Or would it even yield anything useful? She didn't seem broken up about it, and everything else was so strange. How had his parents lived? Were they even happy?

This really hadn't cleared up anything, and Jeff found himself grateful that he had work to do today. His first observation shift would offer a few hours' blessed distraction.

* * *

Jeff's walk back up the cliffside that afternoon was also silent, but he'd expected that. His partner on his first observation session was Happai the dinosaur trainer, and Jeff had gathered that she wasn't much of a talker at the best times. Once they'd reached the platform and he finished setting up the camcorder, though, she did favor him with a few words: "they're peaceful tonight."

A glance down at the grasslands below them showed Jeff she was right. Far from the aggressive creatures he remembered from his previous travels, the Wetnosaurs were gathered in a large, placid-looking herd, grazing from the leaves of the tall Underworld palms. It was an incongruous image, but he couldn't help but be reminded of the flocks of goats that would come down from the mountains around Snow Wood with the new kids in spring -- animals that were intimidating alone but seemed surprisingly docile in a group. "They are," said Jeff. "I'm not really sure that's what I expected."

"You were here during the madness time," replied Happai. "Of course they'd be different now; this is as they should be." Jeff couldn't think of a reply for that, and Happai's expression suggested she was content to leave it to rest there, so he pulled out his notebook and sat down to take observations. They'd do video analysis later, but it would be valuable to the project to get direct observational notes as well. Besides, Jeff remembered all the notes in the introductory material about the landmark first study of a previously-undocumented species; this was high-stakes stuff, at least to his mother, and he didn't want to let the project down.

It was perhaps an hour later that Happai spoke again. "The air's nice," she commented, tone oddly solemn. "Fresh. Better than the Darkness Above." The air was humid and fragrant, not even slightly fresh even at this elevation, but Jeff wasn't prepared to argue the point. He just nodded, and thankfully Happai registered that as an adequate response. "Still not used to that air. Shahnchen tells me I'll feel better soon, but nothing changes."

"It must be a difficult transition," offered Jeff gently. "How are you all taking it?"

"We have no choice," Happai replied. "Even before the Madness, we knew we couldn't stay here. The dinosaurs adapt, and they reclaimed most of the land we took from them. There was no more room for cages. Nobody is happy, though -- our ancestors left the Darkness Above because there is no room, and there is still no room. Something will have to be done."

"I'm really sorry. That's got to be rough on you; I wish I knew something that could help."

"It's all right. I shouldn't be so forward, but watching them again brought it all to mind. The dinosaurs are so content, and I... no, we are not." Happai closed her eyes and sighed. "Shahnchen is no better than I am. Since the breaking of the silence in the Darkness Above, he is no longer needed as an ambassador, and he is largely without purpose. We both are, really. It eats at the soul."

"I think I get you. Feeling sort of... adrift?" The sensation was familiar to Jeff; he'd spent the first few months after Giygas feeling much the same, almost sleepwalking through school and feeling completely purposeless. "I don't think it's your fault. Sometimes things just change."

"Yes," said Happai, "but that doesn't make it easier. Perhaps more needs to change before we'll be well again, but I don't know what it is."

"Have you talked to Shahnchen about it?" It was pure hypocrisy, and Jeff knew it, but it was always easier to give advice than to take it. "You know, really told him what's bothering you? It sounds like he's not happy either, so maybe you two can figure out a solution for both of you."

Happai thought for a moment about that, then nodded. "I believe I shall try. Thank you, Jeff."

"You're welcome. Good luck."

Happai fell into silence again, and this time, it lasted. Jeff refocused himself on the Wetnosaurs and his observations; they continued as they had, feeding and occasionally calling to each other with faint high-pitched honking. Happai was right -- they seemed absolutely content, in a way that made his own life compare rather unfavorably. He was going to have to work up the nerve to take his own advice.

He'd stumbled inadvertently on the core of it, though: the advent of change, and the necessity for more change. He and Tony had lost their stable boarding-school routine, but even more would have to change between them if any of this was going to work. It wasn't exactly comforting, but he had a lot of work to do.

* * *

"Tell me, Jeff -- what are you planning to study once you get started at University?"

Jeff set down his bowl and looked towards his mother, privately grateful for an excuse not to eat for a while. Camp food wasn't that much worse than dining-hall food, but it was just bad enough to make it hard to keep eating; that night's stew had an oddly stale taste, and while he was dutifully working on it, it wasn't even remotely exciting. Talking would cleanse his palate a little.

"Well," he began, "I'm planning on starting work in the Paraphysics program. The whole rundown is a little technical, but there's a professor there who's working on Marian psychotopography, and I'm hoping I can get some work done in his lab. He's doing some really interesting studies with newly-active Marian psychics and psychotopographic potential."

"All right, slow down! You're going to have to explain some terms here." Mom seemed as unperturbed as ever; if she hadn't stopped him, Jeff wouldn't have guessed she was even confused. "Define 'Marian psychotopography,' first of all."

"Okay -- sorry about that. First of all, 'Marian' is a designation for a certain type of psychic. There are a few sources and kinds of psychic power out there, but the Marians are the ones you've probably heard of before; it's named for Maria Robinson, the first psychic of this power source on record, and it probably derives from alien influence. Psychotopography is a psychic phenomenon exclusive to the Marians, and only a few of those -- it's really rare. It's basically... well, forming a projected psychic landscape from your thoughts and memories, a landscape real enough that other people can visit it. It's more complicated than that, but that's the gist, anyway. There are only a handful of identified psychotopographers, so it's a hot topic right now."

"I can imagine. How in the world do they do things like that? Frankly, it beggars belief that the human mind's even capable of such things."

"I get you there, but there's extensive documentation of the phenomenon." Never mind that Jeff had seen it himself not so far away from here: one of his best friends falling into an hours-long trance and awakening with stories of a journey inside his mind to somewhere called Magicant. It was impossible, but it was true. "It's mostly an unconscious mechanism, but we're hoping we can fix that. Dr. Halpern's drafted the assistance of a couple of psychotopographers to help in his research, and with any luck it'll start to answer some questions."

"That's wonderful, Jeff," said his mother. "I don't know a thing about paraphysics, but it sounds absolutely fascinating. You'll let me know about your findings, won't you?"

"Of course," replied Jeff, trying not to feel strange about the request. A few minutes' explanation of what he hoped to work on had solicited more interest than anything else in his life to date? He supposed that was his parents for him. The best conversations he'd ever had with his dad -- really, pretty much the only conversations -- had come while helping out at the lab, and he probably shouldn't have expected his mother to be any different. At least it was something they could talk about without her brushing him off, and really, he knew he should take what he could get. "I don't know that there'll be a lot to tell," he continued, "but I'll keep you in the loop."

"Wonderful, wonderful." His mother nodded emphatically. "Anyway, how was your observation shift today? Mine was -- well, unexpected."

"Huh? Mine was pretty uneventful, but what happened in yours?"

"An invader," said Mom. "I can't sex Wetnosaurs by sight, but my suspicion is that it was a young bull from another herd coming to try and integrate with the native herd in this valley. He wasn't exactly polite, and the guard bulls weren't exactly charitable. There was lot of novel vocalization and a bit of violence, in fact..."

Jeff nodded and let his mother talk, returning to the lukewarm bowl of stew he'd neglected for too long. It was good to let her share work stories too, he decided; it meant they were talking. He remembered his own advice to Happai, and he suspected that any talking right now would help, even if it was just research stories. They had to make some progress. Maybe this would be a start.


	4. Blood and Thunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble comes to the camp, and Jeff and Tony get dragged into it.

There was something strange in the air, and it wasn't just the rain.

After a month in the Underworld, Jeff had finally gotten used to the strange weather patterns: the alternating muggy heat and brutal rainstorms that seemed to spring quite literally from thin air. (Not that the air in the Lost Underworld was ever thin, of course.) The storm that rattled their tent now wasn't even the hardest rain he'd seen this trip, and the sound of it hitting the roof was a bit soothing, but there was still something about it that seemed wrong to him. There was a strange scent to the air, almost like ozone, and it had him on edge and unable to sleep.

Then again, it could be the other way around -- the insomnia putting him on edge and making him jump at shadows and ozone. Jeff had been trying to sleep for three hours now, listening to the rain on the roof and Tony snoring next to him, but none of his usual tricks were working. He was getting close to giving up on sleep for the time being; maybe doing something with his mind would help tire him out. He hadn't brought any of his mechanical projects down with him, but he still had a few unread books, and he'd packed a few mechanical puzzles to tinker with. Jeff sat up, scooting over to his backpack and beginning to rummage. Maybe the bottle puzzle...

Suddenly, there was a crash from outside. Jeff froze, barely daring to breathe as he listened; had it just been the thunder? No -- it was louder and more visceral than that, and Jeff was sure it wasn't anything meteorological. As if to confirm his fears, there was another crash, closer this time... and then a roar.

Trouble.

Jeff scrabbled out of his sleeping bag and threw on the previous day's clothes before quickly strapping on his gunbelt and checking to make sure his tranquilizer pistol was still there. Once he was sure it was, he threw on his shoes and stepped out into the night. Even through the thick curtain of rain, he could make out the dark shape clearly: a Chomposaur, charging erratically through the brush vaguely camp-wards. Was it sick? Confused? Whatever it was, Jeff knew he couldn't let it get any closer, and he wasn't eager to fight it this close to the others. How did you get their attention again? Noises and sudden movements?

"RAAAAAH!" Jeff howled as he charged towards and past the Chomposaur, trying desperately to grab its attention. It was crazy -- it was _transcendently_ crazy -- but it seemed to work; he could hear the crash of the creature turning to start stomping towards him. If he could get it to the box canyon a few minutes' walk north of the camp, he was pretty sure that he could back it into a corner and fight it that way, and Jeff pushed himself to run faster. Through sheer will alone, he managed to stay a few steps ahead of the Chomposaur, and he managed to put on a final burst of speed once the box canyon came into view. Jeff was well inside the canyon before it occurred to him: leading the way into the box canyon meant he was the one boxed in, not the Chomposaur.

Serious trouble.

Jeff didn't even have time to curse his fatigue-addled mind before a roar informed him that the Chomposaur was upon him. He snapped off a tranquilizer shot, aiming at the dinosaur's center of mass, but the shot plinked off of something Jeff couldn't see. The realization hit him: these things were Psi Shielded! He was going to have to tire it out somehow. He spent a moment in thought, but even that was enough time for the Chomposaur to lash out with a fierce bite. Jeff staggered to the side and managed to dodge it, but it was close enough that he could smell its foul breath, and his back was quite literally against the wall.

At least the close range was working in his favor. Jeff aimed a point-blank shot at the soft underside of the Chomposaur's neck, and this time his tranquilizer dart struck home, but the dinosaur barely seemed dazed. Whatever was wrong with it, it was riled, and he'd need more tranquilizer than that. Jeff rolled out of the way of another snap of the Chomposaur's jaws and fired again, but this shot went far wide, and he realized with a sinking feeling that he only had three tranquilizer darts left. He couldn't afford to waste another shot. Jeff narrowed his eyes and started to aim, looking for somewhere else on the Chomposaur that would be relatively unarmored.

Lost in his focus, Jeff didn't notice the Chomposaur's swinging tail until it slammed into his ribcage. The force of the blow threw him into the canyon wall, and a sickening jolt of pain from his left arm told him just how hard the impact was. Jeff whimpered, forcing himself to stay upright as the Chomposaur roared in triumph. One more shot, maybe two. He just needed one more shot...

"HEY! You get away from him!"

The new voice startled the Chomposaur, but somehow it managed to startle Jeff more. He could only make out a vague humanoid shape through the rain, but there was no mistaking Tony's voice, even carrying the edge of anger and desperation it did now. A sudden jolt of fear hit Jeff: what was Tony doing out here? It was crazy --

"OVER HERE!" Tony yelled, and unbelievably, the Chomposaur actually paid attention. It craned its neck towards the new arrival, then began lumbering towards him; Jeff inhaled hard, ignoring the sharp pains in his chest, and raised his gun to fire. One shot struck home in the Chomposaur's flank, and the next two thudded into the base of its neck; the tranquilizer took hold quickly, and the Chomposaur gave a mournful growl as it collapsed.

"Jeff!" called Tony, running to his side as Jeff slumped against the canyon wall. "Are you all right?" Jeff just shook his head; from the pain in his arm and the ache in his ribs, it was obvious he wasn't all right, but it was hard to form words. The rush of battle was wearing off, and between the pain and the sleep deprivation, the world around him was getting blurry.

"Oh, God, Jeff," Tony went on. "Your arm! Oh, God. C'mon, let's get you home..." He slung Jeff's good arm around his shoulder, and slowly, he half-hauled Jeff through the rain towards the camp. As they walked, the world began to blur, and soon everything seemed to come in disembodied snapshots: the rain and the undergrowth, the dark shapes of the tents, his mother's face in a rictus of shock, the vague discomfort of someone with a first-aid kit putting a splint on his arm. At last, he found himself staring again at the roof of his tent, and sleep dragged him down into oblivion.

* * *

Many dreamless hours later, Jeff woke up to warmth and silence. He realized that the rain had stopped before he processed his own physical state: the lingering ache in his chest, the feel of the splint on his arm. He sat up, feeling his arm hang limply by his side, and slowly it sunk in just how bad it was. He'd never had a broken limb before, but with the cracking he'd heard last night and the inability to move it today, what else could it be?

"Hey, you're up." Tony -- God, Tony was sitting next to him and Jeff had barely noticed? He really was gone. His roommate-cum-tentmate's facial expression was excited but still mostly worried, and Jeff supposed he couldn't blame him. "How are you feeling? I can go get you some food or some aspirin, really, whatever you need..."

"It's okay. I'm okay. Look, I..." Jeff paused, trying to put his thoughts together. The previous night was still filtering through his brain, but he couldn't forget that first shot of fear when he'd heard Tony's voice through the rain. "What happened last night? What were you doing?"

"I woke up when I heard the noise, and when I saw you were gone, I followed you. Just a gut feeling, I guess, and I'm glad I did. I --"

"You could have gotten killed! That was insane!" Jeff hadn't meant to raise his voice, but somehow it had raised itself, and he realized just how much anger was mixed in with the fear. If Tony had gotten himself hurt...

"I couldn't just let you go! I know it was risky, but it worked out for the best, and otherwise, well, that thing had you cornered. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if I hadn't been there."

Frankly, Jeff didn't want to think about it either, but some part of his brain was fixated on defending his honor. "I, I would have figured something out, Tony. I had the tranq gun. I'd have taken it down."

"No," said Tony, jaw setting. "Don't you dare tell me that. Maybe you would have, but that's a big 'maybe,' and you don't have the right to take your own life so lightly when you're lecturing me about staying out of danger. You don't even know how precious you are to me, do you? You're -- you're the most precious thing to me in the world. Jeff, I --" Tony broke off in mid-sentence, as if searching for words, and then he leaned in to press his lips to Jeff's own. The kiss was quick but surprisingly firm, and Jeff had barely processed it by the time Tony pulled himself away again.

"I'm sorry," Tony stammered out. "I shouldn't have done that, I know. I just -- I didn't know how to say what I wanted to say, and then that came to mind. I guess I just needed to get it out of my system. If you need to change tents now or you don't want to talk to me, that's okay; I mean, I know you're straight. It was just a sudden impulse --"

"Wait," said Jeff, raising his good hand to gesture Tony to slow down. "Tony, wait a second. I'm not straight."

"What? But -- that magazine you borrowed from Maxwell... I just figured..."

Jeff could have gone a while longer without being reminded of that adolescent indiscretion, and he couldn't help but wince. "Okay, I'll give you that, but my point is that I'm bi, not straight, and I feel the same way you do. I should have made a move a long time ago, but somehow the time was never right, and I -- I inadvertently strung you along for a long time, didn't I? I swear I didn't mean to."

"It's okay," said Tony, who almost seemed more relieved than anything. "I'd come to terms with it, mostly. It's just that this thing with the Chomposaur stirred it all up. When you went away before, that was bad enough, but I didn't have to see it happening. Seeing you there in so much pain just... I couldn't keep silent anymore, that's all. But -- you're seriously not straight?"

"I believe 'seriously not straight' is a good phrase for it."

"Oh, God. I don't even know what to say. I'm serious, Jeff -- I'd written off the possibility. Do you really, uh, like me?"

It extended rather more than 'like,' but Jeff knew he didn't have the words for it right now. "Yeah," he said, "and beyond that, I owe you an apology. I really should have brought this up a long time ago, and I really shouldn't have lost my temper at you today. You saved me, Tony, and I owe you one."

"It's really okay. After last night, you don't have to be 100% rational." Tony sat up a bit straighter, and his usual cheer was back in full force; compared to his previous mood, he looked almost manic. "Tell you what. I'll go get us both something to eat -- I, uh, haven't eaten either -- and some painkillers for you, okay? And we can eat. Eat and talk."

"Sounds good."

Having received his permission, Tony made his way out of the tent, and Jeff let himself fall supine again. God, could he have picked a worse way to tell Tony how he felt? And how in God's name had Tony been convinced that Jeff wasn't interested? How close had Jeff come to accidentally destroying the best thing in his life?

There were far too many questions to consider, and Jeff had to forcibly remind himself that they weren't really important. The important thing was that Tony liked him, and he liked Tony, and they'd both made it out of that box canyon alive. Now that he'd finally managed to say it, even at the worst possible time, they could figure out the rest together. It could work.

Broken arm or no broken arm, Jeff was feeling better already.


	5. Truth and Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeff is visited by old friends, and at last, he has some conversations he needs to have.

Ness and Paula arrived in the Lost Underworld two days after Jeff's battle with the Chomposaur, and Jeff couldn't have been more ready to see them.   
Between Tony's doting on him and his mother's checkups to "make sure he wasn't straining himself," Jeff had barely left his tent, and what had started as a confining space had only gotten worse. He needed fresh air and company, and hopefully the psychics could get him both.

Thankfully, Ness seemed no more satisfied with the inside of the tent when he arrived than Jeff did. "Kinda cramped in here, huh? Let's go outside and get some better light." Jeff was only too happy to comply, clambering out of the tent after Ness and taking in the half-light of the Underworld. Frankly, it wasn't much better than it had been inside, but he wasn't going to complain. Ness took a seat on a log, and Jeff sat on the ground just across from him. "Okay, let me see your arm?" Jeff complied, wincing as he forced it to move, and his friend began to examine it. "It looks like it got splinted all right... probably just a simple fracture of the humerus, although it looks like it hurts. Could be nerve damage, too. Hold on?"

Ness closed his eyes, and Jeff felt a growing warmth in his arm, the familiar sensation of Psi Healing. The pain began to ease, replaced with the slightly disconcerting feeling of the bone in his arm shifting and regrowing; he was quickly distracted by a warmth in his chest, a sign of a Psi Lifeup working to repair his more minor injuries. At last, the warmth died away and the pain was gone. Jeff stretched his arm tentatively, but he knew quite well just what Ness's psychic powers were capable of, and he was confident that the break had healed. "Thanks," he said. "Seriously, I owe you a lot for this."

"It's no problem; I had the day off anyway, and it's nice to see you. How are things going down here?"

"Pretty well, if you discount the Chomposaur part. It's always hard to tell how a project's progressing this early on, but we seem to be getting some good data. How's your and Paula's summer been going?"

"Just great. EMT training's been running me ragged, but I'll be certified by the time school starts, and I can't wait to get started. Paula's been volunteering for Friends of Burglin Park, and they've got this big landscaping project going -- getting a fountain put in. Man, you should see the tan she's getting!"

"I can imagine," said Jeff, not relishing the thought of manual labor in Eaglelandic summer heat. "Where is she, anyway?"

"No idea," Ness replied. "I think she got sidetracked; she saw a couple of Tenda on the way in and went to say hello. I'm sure she'll be along any -- hey, there we go!" As if on cue (and, for all Jeff knew about psychics, _actually_ on cue), Paula came into view, making her way towards the two boys. Ness was right; she'd put on a rather impressive tan, and her hair had bleached a bit, making her look shockingly summery. She and Ness together just looked... well, wholesome. Eaglelandic. Even if he hadn't fought by their side, they'd have been a reassuring presence.

"Hey, guys!" Paula called, taking a seat on the log next to Ness. "What's the prognosis, Doc?"

"C'mon, don't start with that again," said Ness, although Jeff noticed he couldn't help a little smile. Nobody had expected Ness to go pre-med, not even his girlfriend, and months after his acceptance, he was still getting good-natured grief over it. "Jeff's good to go, though. It wasn't anything Psi Healing couldn't handle. Were you talking to the Tenda?"

"We had an interesting conversation, actually. One of them remembers us from the Deep Darkness, and he said he'd like to talk to you -- something about wanting advice on a plan? Maybe it's guy stuff. Anyway, he's waiting for you by the cookfire."

"Huh, okay. Be back in a few." Ness stood up and started walking, and as soon as he'd turned away, Paula gave Jeff a frankly rather speculative look. Wait, what? Had he done something wrong?

"I talked to the Tenda," Paula began, "but I also saw Tony. He's nervous, but he's giddy. Did you two finally sort things out?"

"Er... yes and no." Jeff glanced towards the ground, not even remotely sure where to begin. "We had the I-like-you/I-like-you-too conversation, but it hasn't gone anywhere from there, and I'm not sure how to take it there. I've got a lot of concerns about the future, and I don't want to dump them all on him, but I can't really ignore them. I know we need to talk things out, but it's... I don't know what to say."

"Well, what are the problems? If it's all right for me to ask."

"Might be easier to just pull them out of my brain," admitted Jeff. "It's really tangled. I just worry... well, you've met my dad. I worry I'm too much like him to really be boyfriend material. I don't want to drag Tony into something that isn't really what he wants, just because he thought he wanted it, you know?"

"I think I know what you're saying, but think about it from his perspective for a minute. He's known you practically all your life, and he's been crazy about you since well before we met -- that much is obvious. I suspect there's not much you could say that'd frighten him away now, so why not be honest? Tell him what you're worried about and let him make his own decision. If you ask me, though, you don't have a lot to worry about. Maybe you don't think so, but I think you're boyfriend material, and I'm sure Tony agrees."

Jeff nodded, more grateful than he knew how to easily describe. Paula was an old friend, true, but she was also a good judge of character, and if she said there was a chance, maybe there was. Besides, she was right -- if he couldn't talk to Tony about this frankly, there wasn't much hope anyway, was there? "Thanks," he said. "Seriously, it means a lot to hear this from you. Hopefully it'll be easier once I actually get to talking with him, and we can figure out what happens next."

"I hope you do," replied Paula. "I probably shouldn't admit this, but Ness and I have a bet riding on this. I said you two would make it official before fall, and he raised to midsummer; I'll owe him dinner, but I really don't mind being wrong."

"Don't sweat it," said Jeff, smile growing. "If I pull this off, I'll take you both out to dinner, my treat."

"You'll regret that, you know. You know full well how much Ness can put away..."

"Buffet."

"Now that's the genius I know!"

* * *

Hours of talking and catching up later, Jeff said his goodbyes, and he found himself alone. He took a few deep breaths, reminded himself of Paula's encouragement, and set out to find Tony. As Jeff expected, Tony was waiting for him next to the cookfire, feeding bits of bark to the flame and wearing the expression that Jeff knew well -- his "trying to be patient" face. At the sound of Jeff's footsteps, he looked up, indifferent facade broken. "Hey! Jeff! How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic," Jeff said, and he meant it; there was nothing like being hurt to make you realize how good you feel most of the time. "My arm's fixed, and Ness was able to take care of the rest of it too. It's nice not to be in the sickbed anymore."

"I bet. It's really good to see you well -- we were all worried sick about you. How are your friends doing?"

"Pretty well. Actually, we talked a little about... the situation. Could we walk and talk? I could use the exercise."

"Sure," replied Tony, and he sprang to his feet. Jeff began to wander away from the camp, letting his feet lead him; he was less interested in a destination than simply in walking, and the periphery around the camp was largely safe, with no dinosaurs in sight. Even after camping out for almost two months, there was something strangely comforting in the dense jungle, and the thick air tasted more refreshing than it had any right to. "So," Jeff began, "I talked to Paula about things, and she helped clear my head. There are some things we really need to talk about before we do anything."

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Tony looked at him, locking eyes, and Jeff could see the first traces of a frown on his face. It was hard to keep his nerve, but this had to be done. It would hurt more if he didn't.

"Tony... I care about you a lot, but I have concerns about my own ability to be in a relationship. I'm a lot more like my parents than I'm always comfortable with, and neither of them seem to be any good at actually being grounded for any length of time. I don't know where my career's going to take me, but I can't guarantee that I'll be there for you like you deserve, and I don't want to hurt you by promising something I can't deliver. Does that make any sense?"

Tony kept his eye contact, but his frown softened a bit, and he nodded. "I think I know what you're trying to say, but... well, it's not really that cut and dried, is it? I mean, it's not like being like your dad is genetic or a werewolf curse or anything. You're not really that much like your dad, and the one time you did leave, it was because you had to save the world. It's a different situation. Besides..." Tony glanced away from him for a moment, with an expression that looked almost guilty. "I don't know if there's a good way to say this, but I may as well -- it felt really good to be able to save you the other night, Jeff. It felt good to be the strong one for once and stand up for you. If I have to be the strong one in the couple sometimes because you're distracted, that's okay with me. Uh. It's okay with you, right?"

"Of course it is," said Jeff, inwardly wincing. "I -- I've really pigeonholed you, haven't I? I swear, I'm not trying to be the savior all the time... of course you have every right to be the strong one. If we're going to start dating, we're going to be equals. That's just obvious."

"Then I don't think you have anything to worry about," replied Tony. "You're not perfect. So what? I'm not perfect either, and we make a good team. Why don't we at least try this?"

"We should. We really should. It's been way too long coming, so... yeah. Let's?"

"Let's," said Tony, stepping closer and pulling Jeff into a tight hug. This time, it was Jeff who initiated the kiss, and he made sure to let it linger; it was soft at first, but when Jeff felt the tip of Tony's tongue on his lips, he opened his mouth wider to let it in. His own tongue soon moved foward to explore, and the he was rewarded with the warmth and softness of Tony's mouth, like nothing he'd ever experienced before. Jeff let his analytical mind take flight, and the kiss stretched into a perfect moment of the senses, with no thoughts to sully it.

When they parted at last, it was impossible for Jeff to ignore the lingering, faintly indecorous sensations that remained, and he cleared his throat before asking what was on his mind. "That... that was really nice. Um, I mean, now that we're dating, maybe sometime we could... get together? We've got a tent to ourselves, after all."

"What? Jeff, I love you, but I'm not doing anything even _remotely_ intimate in a tent. They're translucent! And they rustle! And before you ask, no, not outside of it either."

"Fair enough," said Jeff, only gradually realizing he was grinning like a fool. "Can't blame a guy for trying, right?"

"Not in the least. And believe me, when we get back to civilization, we can make up for lost time. Speaking of which, it's probably about dinnertime -- people are going to be wondering. Let's get back to camp?"

"Sure." Jeff started walking, and Tony followed him; when Tony offered him his hand, Jeff took it and squeezed. He felt at ease for, he realized, the first time in a long time, and it felt good. Right. He'd known Tony for so long, and yet somehow the boy walking next to him felt completely new -- and, on some level, so did he.

* * *

"I take it you two are together now? It's about time, frankly."

"Thanks, Mom," said Jeff, stretching out on the blanket and staring down at the valley and the Wetnosaurs below. When his mother had requested help with the night observation shift, he probably should have guessed it would turn into an interrogation session on the afternoon's activities, but he hadn't expected her to be so blunt about it. "If I'd known everyone on Earth was waiting for me to make a move, I'd have done it a lot sooner. At least you didn't have a bet riding on it."

"Not a formal one, no, although I considered starting a betting pool. I think it's charming, though! You know, I was in Winters six months before your father made the slightest move besides asking me out for drinks -- and that was asking me out for dinner!"

Some part of Jeff wasn't in the mood to be compared to his father, but it was still the closest he'd gotten to an actual family story, and he realized he wanted to keep his mother talking. "Really? This is going to sound dumb, but it occurs to me that I'm not even sure how you two met. What's the story there?"

"A conference," his mother began. "Neurobiology -- I was part of a group delivering a paper, and he was just floating through. He was at the presentation, and he had followup questions in the bar afterwards. It was coincidence, really -- I was leaving for Winters to start my Gruff Goat project the semester afterwards, so I asked him questions on that, and by the end of the conference we were fast friends. Things evolved from there, you could say."

"And then you got married while you were in Winters, right? And left not long later? I meant to ask this earlier... wasn't it hard on you both, living so far apart? I know it's kind of personal, but... I wonder."

Jeff's mother shook her head. "It's not too personal -- you're our son! You're allowed to ask questions. There were times when it was difficult, and there were times when we were both so focused on our work that it didn't bother us much. We were both in civilization, at least, and phone contact kept us afloat. I know it must sound odd, but there's very little I regret about those days. Although..."

"'Although?'" Jeff looked back at his mother, who was wearing an expression he'd never seen on her before -- hesitance. "What is it, Mom?"

"I'm not sure if this is something I should admit to you, Jeff, but one of my few regrets is that we brought you into the whole situation. I don't regret that you were born, of course, but we never planned to have a child, and you were something of a surprise. The University was generous about extending me leave, and we did what we could for your first few years, but I know we just weren't suited to it. I think the best thing we did for you in the end is send you to Snow Wood as soon as we could -- it wasn't perfect, but it's let you grow into a wonderful young man. I'm not sure we could have done as well."

Jeff was silent, letting it process, and his mother apparently took this as her cue to continue. "That sounds heartless, I know, and I'm sorry. All I really mean is that I know we made mistakes, probably more mistakes than our share. Now that you're going out on your own, I wanted to apologize. We really do you love you, and I don't want you to think for a second that we don't."

"I don't think that," said Jeff, with a conviction that surprised him. "Come to think of it, I'm not sure I ever did. Sometimes I didn't really think about either of you, but I never thought that you didn't care about me. It's okay, Mom. We all got through."

"We did at that, didn't we?" Mom's smile returned, and she sat up straighter. "We'll have to do better now that you're out on your own. Then again, we'll be seeing more of each other, and we can probably persuade your father to visit a bit more often."

"Just suggest he test a new Sky Runner prototype. That'll get him flying cross-continental, won't it?"

"I'm not sure we should encourage his flying aspirations," said Mom, "but it's not a bad idea, all the same. If only he'd build one that you could steer..."

"Tell me about it," replied Jeff, looking down at the Wetnosaurs beneath him again. The herd seemed to be settling into sleep, a placid sea of green on green, and he couldn't help but feel a little drowsier himself. "Do we have enough tape for the night?"

"I think so, and blessedly so -- it's not as if either of us remembered the notebook today. Not precisely best practices!"

"We'll live, Mom. And... thanks. I know it's an awkward subject, but thanks."

"It's my pleasure," replied Jeff's mother, rising to pack away the camcorder and tripod. "It's about time we started treating each other like a family, isn't it?"

"Yeah," said Jeff. "Time to make up for lost time."


	6. Season's End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to go home.

The end of the summer didn't really hit Jeff until it was time to take down the tent. The months they'd spent living in it had made it seem nearly permanent, but it all came down surprisingly easily, and soon Jeff found himself staring at a shockingly small pile of nylon and plastic. "Weird," he said as he began to gather it all up. "It's weird that this is all over."

"I know the feeling," said Tony next to him, already starting to gather up and repackage the disassembled tent. "I'm not going to mind getting back to indoor plumbing, but there's a lot I'm going to miss. Just when I was getting used to the air, too." Not to mention, Jeff thought, that they'd probably be sleeping with the light on for a while. "It'll be nice to get back to things, though... you can't avoid the real world forever."

"You okay, Tony? That sounded kind of melancholy." Jeff stepped towards Tony and rested a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just the transition, I guess. I haven't really thought about it, but it's hard not to be nervous about college."

Jeff knelt down next to Tony, pulling him into a quick hug. "I know it's all freaky, but it'll be fine. We'll have each other, and you've already got a friend in the faculty. You're going to set the school on fire, you know?"

"Oh, aren't you sweet?" Tony gave him a peck on the cheek before standing up, extricating himself gently but firmly from the hug. "Thanks, but... we've got to keep it together. People around. Speaking of which, looks like we've got visitors."

Sure enough, the Tenda were approaching, with Shahnchen in the lead. Jeff quickly stood up and brushed a few motes of dirt off of his shirt. "Hey," he said, trying his best to look casual. "How's it going?"

"Great, great!" Shahnchen seemed much more like the unshy Tenda that Jeff remembered, and he sounded more upbeat than he had since they'd arrived. "Look, we just came by to say goodbye. We're heading back to what's left of the Underworld village, and then we're hitting the road."

"Hitting the road?" asked Jeff. "Where are you going?"

"Wherever we wander! We talked about it, and we decided we're just going to travel for a while. Happai doesn't like the Deep Darkness, and I'm not exactly homesick myself, so we're gonna see the world. We'll be the world's first traveling Tenda! Won't that be something?"

"That's great!" said Tony. "Seriously, not to interrupt, but I'm really glad to hear it. I hope you guys have a great time."

"Thanks, kid," replied Shahnchen, and Happai nodded. "You two take care of yourselves. If we end up in Fourside, we'll give you a call."

"Please do, and you take care as well." Jeff realized he had no idea how one sent off a Tenda properly, so on impulse, he bowed. "Safe travels."

Shahnchen gave him a slightly odd look, but he returned the bow. "You too. See you!" He turned and started to leave, and Happai offered her own bow before following him. It was hard to read their body language, but Jeff could still tell that they were legitimately happy, and he hoped they stayed that way. He wasn't sure traveling the world would be easy for Tenda, but someone had to be the first.

"You know," said Tony, "that's not a half-bad idea. We're going to have a couple of weeks to spare before we move in, so why don't we do some traveling of our own? We could see Eagleland properly and really get oriented." It'd also distract Tony from his college nerves, thought Jeff, but he decided not to bother mentioning it. "What do you think?"

"It sounds like a great idea to me. We could get off the beaten path for a while and see some parts of the country outside the Twoson-Threed-Fourside corridor... heck, we could even do some camping, if you wanted to."

"Oh, no, no, no. If I'm back in the real world, I want plumbing. That's non-negotiable."

"Okay, you make a pretty good point. I'm pretty ready to get back to hot showers myself. Vaguely on the same subject, are we all packed up here?"

"Think so," said Tony. "Let's go join the group and see if they're ready to go."

Jeff grabbed and shouldered his duffel bag, then picked up the folded-up bag of tent components before following Tony towards the group. They seemed to be one of the last arrivals, and the stares of the crowd as they arrived gave Jeff a sudden and irrational self-consciousness. Had they really taken that long? Thankfully, his mother didn't seem irritated. "There you boys are! Are you ready to go?"

"As we'll ever be," answered Tony, and Jeff nodded.

"Great. Let's move out!" With Jeff's mother in the lead, the team set out towards the ascent to Lumine Hall and the outside world. It wasn't really an Orpheus-and-Eurydice situation (and if it was, Jeff noted, he'd be Eurydice), but he still resisted the urge to look back. It had been a summer beyond even his most optimistic expectations, but there wasn't anything left for him there now; he had a new school expecting him, a new love by his side, and a new season to experience.

It was time to ascend.


	7. Epilogue: Move-In Day

"Remind me again why we decided on a fourth-floor apartment?"

At this point, Jeff wasn't exactly sure himself. It wasn't a walk-up, at least, but their new apartment was far too small for teleportation, so they'd been hauling furniture and boxes all day. Thankfully, it looked like they were close to done; with the sheer number of boxes in the living room, they had to be. (It was amazing how clearly a move made you aware of all the _stuff_ you happened to own. Packing had involved mysterious objects coming out of the woodwork, and Jeff was sure unpacking would too.) "Beats me," he answered. "The view, maybe?"

The view was worth it, though. The north wall of their apartment housed a window looking out over their residential neighborhood, and the building next to them was short enough that they had a clear view of the skyline. It made even the relatively small apartment feel roomy and airy, and Jeff figured it was probably worth the hassle of moving in, even if the fatigue right now was saying otherwise.

"If you wanted a view," commented Tony as he stepped into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, "we should have gone with that penthouse Dad showed us. He could have given us a pretty good deal on it."

"Tony, what would we do with a penthouse? Crack open bottles of champagne and write term papers?"

"Throw epic department parties, is what. Speaking of which, I should order some pizzas for the guys. What do people like?"

"Vegetable for Paula and Poo, Ness eats basically anything, you know what I like, and your brothers... well, if you don't know, I can't help you. Good luck!" As Tony stepped into the kitchen to make the phone call, Jeff moved towards the main living area, glad they'd already brought their dining table and chairs up -- they didn't have enough chairs for the crowd, but the floor would be fine for that, as long as there was somewhere to put the pizzas. Bottled water would be fine, and there was a roll of paper towels somewhere in the kitchen -- not exactly grand hospitality, but it would work.

Jeff's cell phone rang, and he reached into his pocket to answer. "Hello?"

"Jeff, sweetheart! It's Mom. How's the big move going?"

"Pretty well," he replied, "and I can recognize your voice, you know. Seriously, it's going pretty smoothly. We're close to fully unloaded; we've got maybe a half-hour more work, probably less." As he spoke, the door opened, and Poo stepped in carrying a load of boxes. Jeff waved, and Poo answered as soon as his hands were free. "Tony's ordering some pizza, so we'll probably have a little dinner, then get started really unpacking. What's up with you?"

"Not too much, but I was wondering if I could talk to Tony, if he's around?"

"One sec." Jeff glanced into the kitchen; Tony'd apparently finished the order and had started busily unpacking one of the boxes of dishes. He walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. "Phone for you. It's my mom."

"Got it," said Tony, setting down a last glass and picking up the phone. "Hey, Dr. D. What's going on?" Jeff stepped out of his way, but as he began tidying up the living room in preparation for seating several people, he still found it impossible not to overhear. "Okay... ... All right, got it. When do you need me to come in? ... Okay, can do that. Really, though? That's a little disappointing. ... Mm-hmm. I know, it's early days yet, but I see the problem. ... Got it. I'll see you on Monday. Bye!" Jeff averted his eyes as Tony approached, but he didn't expect it to fool him, and it didn't. "How much of that did you overhear?"

"Not that much, actually. What's up? Is there some kind of problem at the lab?"

"Nothing unexpected, but yeah, you could say that. Dr. D's started running the video footage of the Wetnosaurs, and she says it's not adding up to much -- that it's going to be a lot of work to get anything meaningful out of it. I mean, that's not a huge surprise for the first study of a new species or anything, but she's really concerned about it, and she wants me starting in the lab ASAP. Guess my semester starts early, huh?"

"Eesh," replied Jeff, gesturing for Tony to sit down. "I don't envy you all that video review, but tell Mom I'm happy to help if she needs it. I feel bad, though -- most of my notes from my shifts really weren't great. I hope I didn't make it worse."

"You didn't pull every shift. Dr. D thinks it's an all-around problem and we may just need more data before we have trends. Uh, which reminds me... she mentioned we might need to go back."

"Back? Like, 'to the Underworld' back?"

"Yeah. Maybe next summer, maybe the summer after that -- it really depends on if we can get even a preliminary paper out of this. You'll probably be waist-deep in your own stuff by then, but if you're not... well, would you stay on the project? Would you go back there with us?"

Jeff had a suspicion that this would come up eventually -- after all, very few projects are done in a single season of fieldwork -- but he hadn't expected it within weeks of getting back. At this point, it wasn't really a question he could answer for sure. "I don't know," he replied. "It's going to depend a lot on what I have going on in my own projects, but it's certainly possible." Truth be told, it didn't sound uninviting. The jungle certainly had its charms, even if he'd have to remember to be a lot more careful around the Chomposaurs this time. And traveling with Tony... well, that was never a bad thing. "That said, I have one condition."

"What's that?"

Jeff allowed himself a little smirk. "Next time, we get a bigger tent."


End file.
